The-where-should-RyanD-move thread - Page 3

bunt_q · #41 Posted **Jul 1, 2015, 11:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojiferous

Welllll... It also depends on salary. There is also a decrease in average salary between here and Chicago, at least for software developers like me. 10% cheaper in overall cost means nothing if my income decreases by almost the same.

As a lawyer I'd make a boatload more in Chicago.

bunt_q · #42 Posted **Jul 1, 2015, 11:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

I have heard that if you do live in Chicago proper that you do have to factor in the cost of private school for your kids because the public school system ranks somewhere between crap and pure shit. So that could be where the money you save on housing goes.

Is that any less true here? The cost of housing here is even higher if you are only looking at places with decent schools. I can't afford a place where I could send my kids to a shitty DPS school, to say nothing of a decent DPS school.

But really, children are so 20th century. Outside of Stapleton, who in Denver has children? Double income, no kids, that's the future!

EngiNerd · #43 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 12:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Is that any less true here? The cost of housing here is even higher if you are only looking at places with decent schools. I can't afford a place where I could send my kids to a shitty DPS school, to say nothing of a decent DPS school.

But really, children are so 20th century. Outside of Stapleton, who in Denver has children? Double income, no kids, that's the future!

DINK is the only way to afford the future!

corey · #44 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 12:52 AM**

St. Louis is one of my favorite cities. Beautiful old architecture, at least until the developers tear it down.

Rich history. Excellent cultural facilities. Pretty progressive. Especially for Missouri/Illinois. Seemingly good mass transit.

corey · #45 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 1:05 AM**

Shameless plug here. I have lived in Chicago, Washington DC, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Sacramento, and Austin. I have been to every major city in North America. My favorite by far is Denver. Washington DC, Miami, and Los Angeles are distant seconds to me. F'ing HATE the parking meter readers in Philadelphia. Actually other than the art museums , Reading Public Market, and colonial architecture Philadelphia sucks. JMO

bunt_q · #46 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 2:12 AM**

I question your judgment. But let's see, based on that little bit of information. I would guess you are white, male, middle-aged. Probably make $100k+, maybe even $120k, but still think of yourself as comfortably middle class. Ski, or maybe you used to more. Only drink craft beer. Probably work out at a gym and drive your car most days. Vote liberal, but John Kerry liberal, not Pope Francis liberal. And almost certainly road bike. In the terrible little shorts. Getting in the way on two lane roads in the mountains.

Just speculating. Could be a fun game, somebody who doesn't know me, do me.

Cirrus · #47 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 3:04 AM**

FYI: I'm going to let the let's-talk-about-where-RyanD-should-live discussion go about 1 more day, then split it off into a separate thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent Orange

So, I have been plotting to move to Denver next year based on my exploratory trip to the city in 2014, but this discussion is giving me some pause. I'll need to do more homework. This has been a helpful debate. Then again, proximity to mountains and a decent climate is probably of equal or greater importance compared to urban living.

Speaking about urban living only, Denver is as much better than Tampa as Chicago is better than Denver.

seventwenty · #48 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 3:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

I question your judgment. But let's see, based on that little bit of information. I would guess you are white, male, middle-aged. Probably make $100k+, maybe even $120k, but still think of yourself as comfortably middle class. Ski, or maybe you used to more. Only drink craft beer. Probably work out at a gym and drive your car most days. Vote liberal, but John Kerry liberal, not Pope Francis liberal. And almost certainly road bike. In the terrible little shorts. Getting in the way on two lane roads in the mountains.

Just speculating. Could be a fun game, somebody who doesn't know me, do me.

Nah. That's me, minus the nice paycheck b/c stupid.

TakeFive · #49 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 5:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by corey

St. Louis is one of my favorite cities. Beautiful old architecture, at least until the developers tear it down.

Rich history. Excellent cultural facilities. Pretty progressive. Especially for Missouri/Illinois. Seemingly good mass transit.

Clayton area?

Sam Hill · #50 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 5:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Could be a fun game, somebody who doesn't know me, do me.

Grumpy old man.

corey · #51 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 6:11 AM**

Wow, do you have me pegged correctly! Except I do not have a road bike. I only have a couple of cruisers. I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT wear those god awful biker shorts and matching shirts. I am white, closing in on middle age, work out, and drive my car too much because I use it for work appointments every day (I know, bad person). I am a city person, but I definitely love the outdoors. This is something where few cities can match Denver. My main interests in living in the city is for it's diversity and access to good museums, theater, and other cultural amenities. Chicago is great (partially grew up there and have family there) but the rest of Illinois really doesn't have much to offer. Don't under-estimate the shitiness of Upper Midwest winters though! My income fluctuates, but on average is a little higher than your figure. I am self-employed, which has its pros and cons. But I do get to travel all over the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean and spend lengthy periods of time while there. Every city has its unique attributes and also has its cons, but what is not to like about Denver? Yes, it has gotten more expensive, but I truly don't understand what makes Boston, Seattle, Washington DC and a few other cities even more expensive. They are definitely not any better than Denver, IMO. I have always been very liberal, just can't help it. I am all for development and density, but I think preserving high quality 100 year old homes is better for a neighborhood than building another apartment building. It seems to me that if you bought a Victorian like the one in question it is because you like old houses and you sure as hell would not want to see it torn down. I am also for affordable housing, but I don't care for subsidized housing, because I work my ass off and I don't like paying taxes to support it. But I don't know what the solution is to that problem. More than anything, I would like to see plenty of lower priced ($200K's) condos built so more people can own their own property in Denver. I own an over 100 year old house in Berkeley that I bought in 2006 and if a developer offered me more than it was worth I would tell them to go "f" themselves! Only kidding. It is not nearly as nice as the one in Jefferson Park. This was fun, like the scene in Casino Royale! Bunt_q I will work up your profile later.

TakeFive · #52 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 6:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

Grumpy old man.

photo credit: www.denverpost.com

Raetta Holdman has a nice feature at CBS Denver about the Civic Center
How A Conservancy Shined Up A Jewel Of A Park

Sam Hill · #53 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 6:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakeFive

photo credit: www.denverpost.com

Raetta Holdman has a nice feature at CBS Denver about the Civic Center
How A Conservancy Shined Up A Jewel Of A Park

Chatty old lady.

Sam Hill · #54 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 6:21 AM**

I'm guessing I totally suck it this game.

navyweaxguy · #55 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 7:06 AM**

The people's fair was better when it was at East... Grumble grumble.... Even better when it started at Morey. All 4 schools I attended were DPS.

The Dirt · #56 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 7:33 AM**

Walt, there's females on SSP? I thought they were like unicorns around these parts.

Ryan, I know you are also a big fan of LA so, why aren't you considering it?

seventwenty · #57 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 3:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by corey

ssp dating profile

Didn't care. Swiped left.

Agent Orange · #58 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 3:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Speaking about urban living only, Denver is as much better than Tampa as Chicago is better than Denver.

Well that's a significant upgrade, then. Tampa (along with St. Pete) is finally beginning to move in the right direction as attitudes about living/hanging out in the city are changing and we have a mayor who is all about strengthening the city's fragile core. But Tampa is probably 20 years behind its peer cities (eg Denver, Portland, Charlotte). Although housing is relatively affordable here, I don't have the patience to wait for the city to catch up (not to mention I need some topography and four seasons).

If I make the move, I will undoubtedly have to spend more for less space than what I have now (renting), but I think it's a reasonable trade off at this point in my life. There's no doubt in my mind that we're in an asset bubble in the US right now, so maybe in two or three years I'll get lucky and prices will be more reasonable.

RyanD · #59 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 5:24 PM**

My whole thing about this conversation, that I forgot to mention, is that I've been here my entire life. I've never lived in another place. As much as I don't want to contribute to 'thinning out' the Colorado native population, I think to live a well rounded life you need to live somewhere else at least for a while. Denver's great, Denver's awesome but I'm getting really antsy for something bigger and better, especially after seeing some much larger cities.

seventwenty · #60 Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 6:18 PM**

Bye Ryan! Have fun! See you back in Denver in 2020! Seriously though, I did the same thing, and I like the city more for it. Over the last 10 years, I've spent just as much time living out of the state as I did living here. No place is perfect, and many places felt better on many different levels, but nothing else felt like home. You only get to know that feeling if you leave for a while. And if you don't come back, well thanks for the photos.